The Italian coast guard has temporarily detained the German aid organisation Sea-Watch's rescue ship Aurora, Italian authorities announced on Monday.
The crew allegedly violated an Italian decree stipulating that after a rescue operation, ships should immediately go to the port assigned to them. In the case of the Aurora, that was the Sicilian port of Trapani, but the ship sailed for nearby Lampedusa. On board were 72 people rescued in the Mediterranean.
According to rescuers, it was impossible to sail to Trapani because there was not enough fuel and drinking water on board. “We simply had no other choice but to sail to Lampedusa,” said Rebecca Berker, head of rescue operations.
Sea-Watch has called on Rome to immediately release the ship, which is now due to spend 20 days on chains. In addition, the NGO also risks a fine of up to €10,000.
